Japan’s Wine Imports in May Up 16% Amid Lockdown
Despite the imposition of a state of emergency in some areas, Japan raised its importation of wines in May although import value has yet to recover this year.
In the month, Japan bought a total of 14.6 billion yen worth of overseas wine products, rising 16% over May 2020’s import value, based on data from the Customs and Tariff Bureau of Japan’s Finance Ministry.
However, year-to-date data showed that the value of imported wines fell 3% to 67 billion yen.
The Japanese government had placed nine prefectures, including its capital Tokyo, under a state of emergency from May 11-31 due to the fourth wave of Covid-19 infections there. Hospitality venues such as bars and restaurants were momentarily prohibited from offering alcoholic beverages to customers.
Most of the imported wines that entered Japan in May came from France, which rose by 21% to 8.3 billion yen. But so far this year, the value of imported French wines were a bit down 0.3%.
Japan also saw lesser wines from its top two and three sources, Italy and Chile, down 2% and 16%, respectively in May.
Yet, it bought more American and Spanish wines, increasing by 14% and 44%, respectively.
Among Japan’s 10 preferred wine exporting countries, Germany doubled its shipment of wines to 195.6 million yen.
Reduced fortified wines
Japan might have cut back on fortified wine importations, including sherries and ports, in May as imports fell 70% to 17 million yen.
Still, it ramped up its sparkling wines imports by 10% to 4.8 billion yen and bottled wines over 2 liters by 22% to 197.5 million yen.
Japan Wine Imports May 2021 (vs. May 2020)
| Rank | Country | Value in 2021 | Value in 2020 | % Change |
| 1 | France | 8,346,582,000 yen | 6,877,671,000 yen | +21% |
| 2 | Italy | 1,560,552,000 yen | 1,591,116,000 yen | -2% |
| 3 | Chile | 1,353,315,000 yen | 1,607,073,000 yen | -16% |
| 4 | US | 1,259,924,000 yen | 1,101,375,000 yen | +14% |
| 5 | Spain | 904,379,000 yen | 628,936,000 yen | +44% |
| 6 | Australia | 427,529,000 yen | 337,264,000 yen | +27% |
| 7 | Germany | 195,610,000 yen | 97,653,000 yen | +100% |
| 8 | New Zealand | 120,193,000 yen | 88,716,000 yen | +35% |
| 9 | Argentina | 116,231,000 yen | 102,382,000 yen | +14% |
| 10 | Portugal | 87,431,000 yen | 79,724,000 yen | +10% | Total | 14,620,769,000 yen | 12,619,457,000 yen | +16% |
Wine Categories May 2021 (vs. May 2020)
| Wine Category | Value in 2021 | Value in 2020 | % Change |
| Sparkling wines | 4,808,444,000 yen | 4,352,976,000 yen | +10% |
| Fortified wines | 16,957,000 yen | 56,836,000 yen | -70% |
| Containers more than 2L but not more than 10L | 197,498,000 yen | 162,250,000 yen | +22% |
Japan Wine Imports Jan-May 2021 (vs. Jan-May 2020)
| Rank | Country | Value in 2021 | Value in 2020 | % Change |
| 1 | France | 37,441,424,000 yen | 37,561,871,000 yen | -0.3% |
| 2 | Italy | 8,304,255,000 yen | 8,057,440,000 yen | +3% |
| 3 | US | 5,050,027,000 yen | 6,181,626,000 yen | -18% |
| 4 | Chile | 6,693,330,000 yen | 8,719,243,000 yen | -23% |
| 5 | Spain | 4,775,571,000 yen | 3,934,258,000 yen | +21% |
| 6 | Australia | 1,774,910,000 yen | 1,748,999,000 yen | +2% |
| 7 | Germany | 673,595,000 yen | 587,969,000 yen | +15% |
| 8 | New Zealand | 439,615,000 yen | 547,770,000 yen | -20% |
| 9 | Argentina | 406,471,000 yen | 491,985,000 yen | -17% |
| 10 | South Africa | 365,221,000 yen | 406,280,000 yen | -10% | Total | 66,990,526,000 yen | 69,261,242,000 yen | -3% |
Wine Categories Jan-May 2021 (vs. Jan-May 2020)
| Wine Category | Value in 2021 | Value in 2020 | % Change |
| Sparkling wines | 23,546,065,000 yen | 25,569,646,000 yen | -8% |
| Fortified wines | 168,533,000 yen | 259,940,000 yen | -35% |
| Containers more than 2L but not more than 10L | 898,334,000 yen | 836,637,000 yen | +7% |
